Greaser Girl
by Kelsisaur
Summary: Two-Bit Matthews has a sister, she's the only girl that's part of the gang. She's close with Darry Curtis but she knows her feelings go deeper than the friendship they share. Will she be brave enough to confess her feelings for him, or will she be too distracted by the feud going on between the Socs and the Greasers?
1. Chapter 1

Charlotte Matthews was hanging around the Curtis' porch waiting for all the boys to get outta work or school and show up since she had spent the day alone and bored. She began fiddling with her long, strawberry blonde hair that went down her back and to her hips. It was a weird mix between naturally curly and naturally straight that left her with difficult waves that stuck up in odd angles, she had bright, spring green eyes that Soda Curtis had once told her reminded him of a cat's eyes and to this day she hasn't decided if it was a compliment or not. As the short, slim girl fiddled with her hair, Darry Curtis pulled up to his driveway to see the only girl in their gang sitting on his porch railing lost in thought. She wasn't like any other greaser girl he knew. She hardly wore makeup, she didn't giggle all the time only on occasion when she was flirting, the only thing he was able to spot in her was that she had a mouth that would make a grown man's toes curl.

Charlotte jumped from her thoughts of a tall dark and handsome man as a car door slammed and the real thing was right in front of her.

"Hiya Darry." Charlotte grinned as she shifted so she was more comfortable. Even sitting on the railing Charlotte only came up to Darry's chin before she had to look up. That's what she gets when Darry is six foot two and she's only five foot four.

"Been waiting long Charlotte?"

"All day. I had nothing to do." the petite girl pouted her pretty pink mouth, "Everyone was either working or in school."

It had been no shock when Charlotte finally dropped out of school at seventeen. She wasn't like her older brother in that case. They both had a quick mouth and a sense of humor but Two-Bit loved school while Charlotte loathed it. She never had the best grades and Darry could remember trying to tutor her growing up but she finally called it quits last year after a teacher called her dumb. She wasn't dumb at all. A little bit of a ditz, yes. But not dumb.

"Where's Pony and Johnny?"

"Johnnycake stayed after for a bit of extra help in math and Pony said he was going to the movies."

Darry opened his mouth to speak again but he frowned as Charlotte's eyes light up at the sight of Sodapop Curtis.

"Honey! I'm home!" he bellowed as he climbed out of Steve's car.

"Honey!" Charlotte laughed as he lifted her from the porch and swung her around. Darry knew they were only good friends since Soda was head over heels for his girlfriend Sandy but he couldn't stop the pang of jealousy that shot through him. He went to say something but Charlotte hushed him.

"What?" Soda asked. Charlotte hushed him again, "Did she just shh me?" he asked offended.

But Charlotte's green eyes were filled with terror, "Pony." she said simply before she took off running. She didn't see any of the old worn down houses from the east side as she sprinted down the worn out sidewalk. All she was focused on was a taunting voice and the direction she heard all their names being yelled. She came around the corner with all her boys behind her now and spotted Ponyboy on the ground with a handful of Socs pinning him or egging on their friends.

"Get outta here!" Charlotte yelled causing them all to look and see the group of boys and nonthreatening Charlotte running at them. They all began running off to their car. The nonthreatening Charlotte lifted a rock and lobbed it at their pretty red Corvair and mentally cringed when it smashed their tail light but it served them right for picking on the gang's kid brother. Charlotte yelled a few more profanities their way before turning to see Darry shaking Pony and the boy looked as green as a christmas tree so it seemed like a bad idea.

"Put him down Darry, 'fore he gets sick." she called over. Darry set him down and the poor kid sunk to the ground. Darry felt sick himself his kid brother had just been jumped. Everyone had gotten jumped at least once but the only ones that made Darry sick were when the two youngest and the only girl had gotten jumped. Johnny scared him because he looked dead, Pony because he loved his kid brother and Charlotte because when they had gotten around to helping her, her face was already bruised and swollen and half her clothes were ripped off. To this day Charlotte hadn't told anyone what had happened or what had been said when she was jumped but they all came to the right conclusion. For months after she was jumped when anyone but one of the guys in the gang went to touch her she'd flinch away and have the look of a scared woodland critter about to bolt.

"They didn't hurt ya too bad did they?" she asked softly as she crouched down beside him, getting dust all over her jeans in the process. Charlotte saw the tears that Pony so desperately tried to hide as he shook his head.

"Oh Pony. You're bleeding, anybody got a handkerchief?" she asked as Soda tugged one from his pocket and handed it to her.

"I am?" Pony asked in disbelief.

"See?" Charlotte asked as she lightly dabbed the wound and showed the red stain to him. Pony rubbed at his already swollen cheek as the tears rolled down his cheeks. Darry sat beside Charlotte as Pony brushed away the tears and the rest of the gang sat around in a circle. Someone passed out cigarettes and Charlotte who rarely smoked took one to calm her nerves.

"You okay kid?" Dally asked around a cloud of smoke.

"Yeah I'm just spooked is all." Pony muttered as he took a drag on his own cigarette.

Charlotte followed suit but the breath she let out was just as shaky as Pony's. Darry, who didn't smoke since he used to be a big athlete, placed a hand on her back and rubbed it lightly. Through her leather jacket warmth spread through her chilly body. She gave him a small smile of thanks. That's when a thought occured.

"Dally I thought you were still in the slammer." she frowned.

Dally gave a one armed shrug at Charlotte's comment, "Got out on good behavior."

It was quiet again until Steve spoke up like the big mouth he is, "So what were you doing walking here all by your lonesome anyway?" it wasn't that Charlotte didn't like Steve, it's just that he got under her skin and bothered her something awful. He always asked the questions that were best avoided in situations like these.

"I was walking home from the movies and I didn't think…" Pony mumbled and Charlotte sighed seeing where this was going awful quick.

"You don't ever think." Darry grouched, still rubbing Charlotte's back, "Not at home or anywhere where it counts. You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home, and you always got your nose in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense? No siree, bub. And if you did have to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade."

Charlotte rolled her eyes at the comment before taking a long drag on her cigarette while Soda spoke up, "You leave my kid brother alone, you hear? It ain't his fault he likes to go to the movies, and it ain't his fault Socs like to jump us, and if he had been carrying a blade it would have been a good excuse to cut him to ribbons."

"When I want my kid brother to tell me what to do with my other kid brother, I'll ask you - kid brother." Darry continued his grouching but he laid off Pony like he usually does when Soda says to.

"Next time just one of us to go with you Ponyboy." Charlotte piped up, "Any of us will."

"Speakin' of movies," Dally stopped to yawn, flicking his cigarette butt over Charlotte's head causing her to scowl and run a hand through her hair, "I'm walikn' over to the Nightly Double tomorrow night. Anybody wanna come and hunt some action?"

Steve shook his head and explained that he and Soda were bringing their girl's, Evie and Sandy to the game. He gave Charlotte a look right after Pony that made her roll her eyes. Once upon a time Steve had sworn his love to Charlotte and all she had done was sigh and stare at Darry across the room before shaking her head with a sad smile. Steve wasn't a bad guy, not even close but the way she'd seen him treat Evie was almost like she was his property so she must be okay with it but Charlotte wouldn't have been able to stand it.

Darry let out a long sigh and Charlotte knew what was coming. He never had any time to do anything fun anymore. Not when he was working so much to keep his brothers at home, "I can't I'm working." he frowned as he took the last bit of Charlotte's cigarette and stamped it out. He hated that Pony, Johnny and herself smoked since they were only kids in his mind even though Charlotte had turned eighteen about four months ago.

"You work too much." Charlotte muttered but gave him no time to respond since Dally was talking to her and the rest of them now.

"Me and Johnny'll come." Pony pipped up for the small boy. Ever since Johnny had gotten jumped and beat to the point of him near dying he hardly spoke and got spooked at his own shadow. Charlotte frowned as she remembered that day. It was the day right before she turned eighteen.

Darry had actually taken the day off since his back was bothering him some but he decided to humor Charlotte since the boys promised her a game of football and half of them were at his house anyways. She, Darry, Two-bit and Dally were heading to the empty field at the corner of their block where they usually played football.

Dally had just passed Charlotte the ball and she went to run off but Darry had grabbed her tightly by the waist and lifted her up against his solid chest. She had let out a squeal as her heart stuttered over the next beat and it was then she realized she was head over heels for this boy and there was no way he would ever reciprocate the feeling. But Charlotte had spotted three other members of their gang standing in the middle of the field looking at a dark motionless hump on the ground and Charlotte's stomach sank as she squirmed from Darry's grasp and began sprinting across the field dropping the ball as she went. Besides Pony, Charlotte was the quickest out of all of the gang. She skidded to a stop though and almost got sick at the sight.

Poor Johnny had been jumped and beaten within an inch of his life. His face was all bruised and swollen and he had a wild gash down the side of his face that would scar and remind him of this day for the rest of his life.

"Is he dead?" Soda questioned even though he was kneeling right beside the boy.

Charlotte dropped to her knees and softly placed a hand on his chest, "Johnny?" she asked shakily, "Hey Johnnycake?"

His eyes stayed closed but there were two soft responses a slow heartbeat and a question, "Char…?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, "Yeah, it's me honey. The whole gang is here too. Don't talk, we're gonna get you to Pony's house. Okay?" she said as she nodded at the two largest boys who slowly walked forward and gently lifted him as if he was going to break at any minute.

"There was a whole bunch of them." Johnny began ignoring the girl's command, " A blue Mustang full... I got so scared…" he tried to swear, but suddenly started crying, but couldn't control himself, then sobbing all the more cuz he couldn't. Charlotte's seen Johnny take a beating with a two by four from his old man and never even let out a whimper. That made it worse to see him break down now. The two boys just continued on carrying him back to the Curtis house and Charlotte pushed on his hair back out of his eyes as they did so.

"It's okay Johnnycake they're gone now. It's okay." Soda crooned.

Finally between sobs Johnny manage the get out the story. He had been hunting for the gang's football to practice a few kicks, when some blue Mustang have pulled up beside the lot. There were four Socs inside. They had caught him and one of them had rings all on his hand. That's what cut Johnny up so badly. It wasn't just that they had beaten him half to death that, he could take that. They had scared him. They had threatened him with everything under the sun. Johnny was high-strung anyway, a nervous wreck from getting belted every time all the gang turned around from hearing his parents fight all the time. Living in those conditions might have been someone else rebellious and bitter; it was killing Johnny. He had never been a coward. He was a good man at a rumble. He stood up for the gang and kept his mouth shut good around cops. But after the night of the beating Johnny was jumpier than ever. Charlotte didn't think he'd ever get over it. She thought he would always live with the scars that he carried with him, outside and in. Johnny never walked by himself after that and made sure that no one else walked by themselves either. And Johnny who's the most law-abiding of all of them now carried in his back pocket a six-inch switchblade. He'd use it too if he ever got jumped again he told Charlotte once. They had scared him that much he would kill the next person who jumped him. Nobody's ever going to beat him like that again not over his dead body.

That day once they got him into the Curtis house and on their table, Charlotte was in charge she was ordering the boys of what she needed as she wiped the blood from Johnny's face, neck and bare chest. She put antiseptic on the cuts so they wouldn't get infected, had Darry hold a pack of ice against one side of his face and when she said he'd need stitches, she even stitched his cheek up for him when he asked. When Steve returned with the bottle of pain reliever she forced Johnny to swallow two before allowing the boys to move him to the couch where for the next few days he stayed to heal some. Charlotte stayed as long as Johnny did but she spent the nights in Darry's room. He had slept on the floor while Charlotte got to cuddle into a bed that smelled so strongly of Darry she was out in seconds. When she finally went home it took her hours to fall asleep without the scent of Old Spice that Darry wore.

"How about you Charlotte?" Dally asked pulling Charlotte from her thoughts, "Pony and Johnny are in, your brother is getting boozed. What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"I guess I'll go to the movies with y'all. No one else to hang around." she shrugged as she fiddled with the laces on her black boots.

"Glad we get to be graced by your presence." Dally said dryly causing Charlotte to laugh.


	2. Chapter 2

Charlotte met her three escorts of the night at the corner of Pickett and Sutton and got scolded for walking alone by Dally who got snapped at by Charlotte calling him a softy. After Dally grabbed Charlotte in a quick headlock and ruffled her hair to a mess with his other hand he lead the laughing group to the drugstore in the shopping center to goof around since it was still early.

They all bought cokes and the boys blew straws at the waitress while Charlotte stood by the counter giggling at the boy on the other side while she charmed him into handing over a job application that she filled out.

Afterwards they walked around eyeing everything that was just lying out in the open til the manager wised up and asked them to leave. But he was too late. Dally had two packs of kools under his jacket and Charlotte had a real good lighter under hers.

She followed Dally across the street and down Sutton a bit till they reached the Dingo. There were drive-ins all over but they were divided by territory of the Socs and the greasers. The Dingo could be a real rough hangout there were fights breaking out all the time and once a girl got shot. The two boys and Charlotte followed Dally around while he talked with a few of the local greaser but they all hightailed it out of there when a fight broke out between a twenty-three year old greaser and Mexican hitchhiker. They only left because the switchblades came out and that meant the cops would be showing up soon and no smart greaser stuck around when that happened.

The group of four walked behind Spencer's Special, the discount house and chased a few kids through a field for a few minutes scaring the daylights out of them and around that time it was dark enough for the three boys and Charlotte to sneak over the fence in the back of the Nightly Double. It was the biggest in town showing two movies back to back a night. Admission was only a quarter if you weren't in a car but Dally hated doing things the legal way and it was more fun to jump the fence than pay. Johnny and Pony climbed through a hole in the fence and Dally and Charlotte climbed some boxes so they could jump over it. Charlotte lead the way this time to the rows of seats in front of the concession stand, the only two other people sitting there were girls about Charlotte's age. Dally eyed them cooly and pushed ahead and took a seat right behind them. Charlotte sighed and hopped over his legs he had propped up on the red head's chair. Charlotte looked at the two boys beside her and they all wore the same worried expression, Dally was about to start his usual tricks that got him in trouble in one way or another. He started talking loud enough for the girls to hear. He started out bad and it only got worse and worse until red bristled. Dally had a real dirty mouth when it came to talking to greaser girls but the problem was the girls in front of the group were the exact opposite of greasers. You could tell by the way they were dressed that they were Socs. Charlotte watched Johnny hurry away murmuring about a coke and dying of thirst and left Pony and herself behind. Pony's ears were a bright red when Charlotte looked over. She sunk lower in her seat and tried to watch the movie but her eyes slid over to the girls. The one sitting in the aisle seat had bright red hair that sat smoothly down her back and her friend had a sleek dark bob. Red was getting angry, or scared Charlotte couldn't decide which one it was as she chewed hard on her gum and sat stiff, her friend was ignoring Dally. Dally look impatient that he was getting ignored, Charlotte assumed he was used to greaser girls throwing themselves at someone as tough as Dally but these girls wanted nothing to do with him. The feet he had propped on red's chair began to shift so it wiggled her chair. Red turned quickly and gave Dally a cool stare.

"Take your feet off my chair and shut your trap." she hissed out sharply. Charlotte recognized her from school. They had been in the same grade before Charlotte dropped out, red was a cheerleader and looked down at Charlotte every time they crossed paths in school.

Dally gave her a lazy look, "Who's gonna make me?" he drawled out.

The one with the dark bob turned now to stare at the group of greasers. All the staring was making Charlotte uncomfortable, "That's the greaser that jockeys for the Slash J sometimes." she said as if they all couldn't hear her.

Charlotte sunk lower in her seat causing red's eyes to shift over to her. Those piercing blue eyes lit up when she recognized Charlotte but before she could say anything Dally spoke up and it was Charlotte's turn to hurry away muttering about being thirsty herself as she dug around her pocket for a dime. She saw Johnny around the corner hiding in the shadows dragging on a cigarette. Charlotte bought her coke and when she spotted Dally sauntering over she decided it was best to head back over to the seats. Johnny was suddenly beside her, glued to her side so she slung an arm around his neck and got him to grin. He saw that Dally was gone and managed a small "Hi" before he began watching the movie again.

Red was staring at Charlotte again and causing her to shift uncomfortably still, "You look familiar ya know." she commented.

"We were in the same grade last year." Charlotte spoke softly.

"That's right! Um, Char...lene? No that's not it."

"Close. It's Charlotte. Charlotte Matthews."

"That's it. We crossed paths in the halls at school, I'm Cherry Valance."

Charlotte nodded, her friend was Marcia and Charlotte was still uncomfortable with the cold stare Cherry was sending her way, "Why do you look at me like that?" Charlotte blurted out.

"Like what?"

Charlotte sucked down half her coke in one sip nervously before responding, "I dunno. You always look at me like I'm some pest."

"I don't mean it that way." Cherry said shyly, "I like your hair. I wish mine was a pinkish blonde like that then cherry red."

Charlotte was able to manage a smile at her now as Dally came back and passed around cokes, "That might cool you off." he grinned as he slipped into the seat next to her.

She gave him an icy stare and then she threw the coke in his face, "That might cool _you_ off, greaser. After you wash you mouth and learn to talk and act decent, I might cool off too." she said hotly.

But this apparently only fed Dally's hunger as he wiped the coke from his eyes with his sleeve and gave Cherry a dangerous grin. If Charlotte were Cherry, she woulda been running for the hills. She knew that smile and nothing good ever came from it.

"Fiery huh? Well that's the way I like 'em." Dally grinned as he began to drag Cherry against his chest. But it was Johnny who stopped him. He reached over and put a hand on his arm.

"Leave her alone Dally."

"Huh?" Dally squinted in Johnny's direction at the boy who couldn't say "boo" to his own shadow without scaring himself. Johnny gulped and paled.

"You heard him Dally, leave the poor girl alone and get some manners will ya?" Charlotte scowled from her seat. Dally did let go of Cherry only to drag Charlotte up by her jacket collar. Fear shot through Charlotte like a hot iron but she held her icy look.

"Put her down Dally. 'Fore Darry finds out you were threatening her and kills ya." Pony snapped now. Dally scowled and dropped Charlotte roughly back into her seat and set his gaze on Pony but Johnny jumped in his path.

"Just walk away." he managed through a strained voice.

Dally waited a beat but scowled and stalked off unless you were Johnny and on the occasion Charlotte no one ever told Dally what to do. In most cases he'd just flatten those who did. The only person, besides Johnny and Charlotte he avoided picking fits with was Darry because no one went up against Darry and won. Johnny was like the gang's pet, you did anything to keep him happy and from getting hurt. Dally favored Johnny over anyone in the gang and no one could decide why. Everyone kept clear of bothering Charlotte too, they knew that they'd have both Two-bit and Darry to answer to if she so pleased to tattle on you.

The two girls in front of the kids of the gang smiled, "Thanks for jumping in and saving me." Cherry spoke softly, "I was awfully scared."

"You sure didn't show it." Pony piped in.

"Well I didn't want to give him that small triumph but then again he wasn't holding me clear off the ground like he was you Charlotte." she frowned.

"It's not a big deal. Dally means no harm. Just stuck in a little world up in his head and like Pony said, his brother Darry would kill Dally if he even hears about this."

"No one goes up against Dally." Johnny mumbled.

"Well surely you do." Marcia grinned.

"Why don't y'all boys come sit with us, to protect us and Charlotte, I want to admire your hair up close." Cherry grinned.

The boys gave each other sly looks before climbing over the seats. Pony sat between the two girls, Charlotte sat beside Cherry and Johnny sat beside Charlotte.

"So how old are all of y'all?" Marcia asked as they settled.

"I'm fourteen, Johnny is sixteen and Charlotte turned eighteen not too long ago." Pony said for all of us. The two Socs traded amused looks for a moment.

"That's funny...we thought that-" Marcia began but Cherry cut her off.

"That you two boys were both sixteen." Cherry grinned. Charlotte did too, Johnny knew he looked a whole lot younger than he actually was and it bothered him something awful. Although Cherry did in fact admire the strawberry blonde's hair for a good minute she held a lock of it and just played with it before Marcia complemented Charlotte on her boots with killer heels while Cherry and Pony talked quietly. Johnny and Charlotte were just kinda staring at the movie not really paying attention but also noticing the colorful flowers and beach themed costumes when a large hand was brought down on their shoulders and a deep voice spoke up from behind them.

"What are you doing greasers?"

Charlotte's immediate thought was to hurt whoever it was behind her before they could hurt her, so she twisted in her seat and punched the mystery man as hard as she could in the stomach. She may be about a fourth of the size of Darry but in that moment Two-bit felt like it was Darry himself who just punched him in the gut.

"Christ Charlotte." he groaned after being crouched over for a moment, "I forgot I can't just sneak up on ya. You okay Johnny?"

They all turned to see the usually very tan boy had gone white as a sheet and was shaking. Charlotte offered him a smile and placed her hand over his as Two-bit went to sit beside Marcia.

"So where'd Dally run off to?"

"Probably blowing off steam in a fight." Charlotte shrugged as Pony explained what happened.

"Want me to tell superman he threatened you? We can beat him together." Two-bit said dangerously.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "I'm not a baby _mom_ and Dally was just in a mood. Don't tell Darry he can't afford to have Dally get a good shot in and stop him from working." Charlotte sighed.

Two-bit nodded and began talking to Marcia who began to joke around instantly in a way that only made sense to the two of them. After the movie was over Two-bit offered to give the girls a ride home after they confessed their dates left them high and dry.

"My cars' a few blocks away but it's better than walk the whole way back to the west side." Two-bit shrugged. The girls looked grateful for the offer and all of them began making the hike to Two-bit's junker. Halfway there though a blue mustang drove past them and made a circle to go past them again.

"Oh what does he want?" Cherry pouted to Marcia. They both looked terrified as they glanced back at their entourage.

The mustang stopped right beside the group and two boys climbed out and Charlotte could smell the awful scent of alcohol follow them out. Charlotte felt Johnny stiffen beside her and she saw him looking at the row of rings that lined the first boys hand. This was the guy who beat Johnny half to death. The thought made Charlotte's blood boil.

"Cherry, I said I was sorry I got a little drunk."

"More than a little Bob!" Cherry snapped, "Not being able to walk is more than a little."

"It didn't give you the excuse to walk around with trash like them." the boy beside him frowned as his eyes froze on Charlotte and smirked. It made Charlotte uncomfortable as she shifted in place besides Johnny and behind Pony and the girls. Two-bit ran his mouth for a while before he broke a bottle on the fence beside him, turned and handed it to Pony and had his knife out all in three seconds flat. The boys glanced at Johnny and Charlotte again who now had their own knives out as well.

"I have four more boys in the backseat." this boy, Bob, said.

"Pity the backseat." Charlotte scowled before she spat at the ground.

"Why I outta-" the boy beside Bob growled.

"Outta do what with my sister?" Two-bit asked dangerously as his eyes shone like hunks of ice.

"Stop it! Just stop!" Cherry snapped, "We'll go with you so long as none of y'all fight."

Charlotte waited until both boys followed the girls into the car and drove off before she stowed her knife in her pocket. They all followed a bit less energetically behind Two-bit again as he ripped up a piece of paper.

"What was that?" Pony asked since no one else wanted to.

"Marcia's number." Two-bit grouched, "Can't believe I actually asked her for it."

Charlotte offered her brother a small smile and hugged the arm closest to her. He pulled it free to hug her to his side as they continued walking. He let go of her to grab a cowboy hat off the ground and offered her a goofy grin.

"I'm gonna head out again to see if I can find a party." Two-bit said as they got to the corner of the street where Johnny's house sat just across. He had already headed on over to it.

"Okay, I'm probably gonna sleep at Pony's. I don't wanna walk home." Charlotte announced.

"Okay you be careful though." he warned as he looped off. Pony and Charlotte heard lots of loud screaming. They looked over to see Johnny quickly shutting his front door and jogging back towards his two friends.


	3. Chapter 3

They were all lying in the grass beside a fire pit that someone dug a while ago staring at the stars. Pony was smoking and Charlotte watched as the cloud of smoke would float up towards the stars before disappearing as she toyed with her ripped skinny jeans.

"I wanna know what love feels like." Pony sighed after a while.

Charlotte turned her head and arched an eyebrow, "Really Pony, love is what you wanna talk about?"

"Soda told me he loves Sandy and I just wanna know." Pony shrugged.

"Have you ever been in love Charlotte?" Johnny asked.

Instantly Charlotte thought of Darry, with his dark hair and shocking blue eyes. The way he smiled or how his muscles moved the time she watched him reroof a house, to her excitement he had removed his shirt for over half the day too. But Charlotte shook her head with a sad smile, "No. Not yet Johnnycake. I'm close enough to it I guess though."

"What's it like?"

"It feels like you just ran a whole three miles and you can't quite catch your breath and then it's the feeling you get when you spin around real fast. You feel like your feet got knocked from beneath you but you can't stop smiling even as you're falling."

"Are you thinking of Darry?" Pony asked after a while.

Charlotte let out a sad sigh, "Yeah I guess I am Pony."

"Why don't you say anything?"

"Because love is also delicate ya know? You get scared to admit it because if the other person doesn't share the same feeling as you then it hurts you, it makes you wanna die."

They were all quiet for a while so Charlotte closed her eyes for a minute and instantly she began thinking of Darry.

They were at his house and for once it was quiet and they were alone. The tv was on some old black and white movie but they paid it no mind as Darry trailed his fingers lightly up and down her thigh. Slowly, agonizingly slowly he began leaning in but as their lips began to touch she was being shaken awake.

"Charlotte. Charlotte, c'mon wake up. We fell asleep." Pony hissed. Charlotte sat up groggily and looked at Johnny who was wrapped up all in newspapers.

"Johnnycake. We fell asleep. Time to get up." Charlotte yawned.

"No, 'M staying right here." he mumbled as he shivered. Realizing it would be pointless to argue Charlotte dragged off her leather jacket, revealing a tight black tube top that hugged her curves, and placed the jacket over Johnny since all he had was his jean jacket. Charlotte stood and wrapped her arms around herself now to keep warm as they began to slink back to Pony's house. It was silent except for the clicking of Charlotte's boots that made her a whole five inches taller.

Pony swore softly when they both saw Soda stretched out on the couch and Darry sitting in the arm chair reading the paper. Pony opened the door softly and Charlotte slunk through the threshold behind him. Darry was on his feet in a second and Charlotte gripped Pony's arm tightly when she saw his eyes flash dangerously.

"Where the heck have y'all been? Do you know what time it is?" he was the most mad that Charlotte's seen him in a while. Pony shook his head wordlessly as Charlotte just stared at Darry wide-eyed.

"Well, it's two in the morning kids. Another hour and I would have sent the police out looking for the two of you. Where were you Ponyboy? Charlotte?" Darry had begun to raise his voice and it was causing Charlotte to dig her long, sharp nails into Pony's arm, "Where in the almighty universe were y'all?"

"I….we went to sleep in the lot." Charlotte was able to squeak out.

"You what?" Darry shouted and Soda sat up rubbing his eyes.

"Hey you two." he said groggily, "Where've y'all been?"

"We didn't mean to." Charlotte whispered as her green eyes stung with tears that threatened to surface.

"We were listening to Charlotte ramble like she does when she's tired and we all dropped off…" Pony said weakly.

"I reckon it never occurred to you both that the two of us were here worrying ourselves sick over the two of you when Two-bit called around ten forty telling us that you and Charlotte would be on your way soon. We were afraid to call the police because something like this would get you and Soda thrown in a boy's home so fast it'd make your head spin. And y'all were sleeping in the lot? Christ, can't either of you use your heads? Neither of you are wearing coats." he snapped and then his eyes flashed again when he saw that Charlotte was in nothing but skinny jeans and a strapless black top.

"I didn't mean to." Charlotte said softly as the tears began to blur her vision. Darry was really beginning to scare her.

"I didn't mean to! Didn't mean to what? Walk around looking like a streetwalker?" he yelled as he suddenly stormed over and grabbed her by her biceps and lifted her right off the ground to be eye level with him, "What, do you wanna get jumped again? Have the Socs finish what they couldn't last time?"

He was hollering right in Charlotte's face and she was beginning to panic but she turned to ice when he spoke of her getting jumped. She began kicking and screaming for him to let her go but he wasn't, that is until Pony spoke up.

"Leave her alone Darry!" he shouted. But Darry was just blind with anger at this point so he just tossed Charlotte down so she slammed against the wall and turned and slapped Pony so hard he went flying back. It all happened three seconds after Pony yelled and now everyone was frozen.

"Pony...Charlotte." Darry said softly. His voice raw from all the yelling.

Pony turned and ran from the house, Darry called after him and looked down at Charlotte who was still pressing her back against the wall, frozen but she thawed when Darry reached for her.

"Don't touch me!" she screeched as she too sprinted from the house running as fast as she could from the tall, dark and handsome man. When she reached her boys she had tripped over them and fell. Pony was crying and so was Charlotte. Johnny handed the shivering girl her jacket back before they all just took off running for the park.

They climbed on top of the monkey bars and Johnny handed out cigarettes to soothe the others.

"What happened?" Johnny asked.

"Darry was so angry." a shaking Charlotte whispered.

"He yelled at us and then he picked up Charlotte by her arms and started yelling right in her face and didn't put her down even though she was crying and begging to be let go. I yelled at him and he threw Charlotte down and against the wall and hit me." Pony said as he wiped away his tears.

Charlotte was still shaking as she took a long drag on her cigarette while Johnny talked about being beat by his old man.

"You have the gang Johnny." Charlotte managed out when he said he was all alone.

"Darry hates me." Pony was murmuring.

"No, Pony. No he doesn't I'm sure he was just worried sick about you." Johnny explained, "And you too Charlotte. I'm sure he was afraid of you getting jumped again."

"I'm sure he was." Charlotte muttered sourly, "The way he worded it was like he thought I wanted it to happen again." she spoke sadly.

Charlotte had just begun to stop shaking when the blue mustang rolled to a stop at the edge of the park.

"What are they doing here? This is our turf." Pony frowned. Charlotte went to take another drag on her cigarette but she found it was gone already so she flicked the butt to the side.

"I don't know but I'm guessing they're looking for us. We picked up their girls."

"Oh glory." Pony groaned.

"This is adding up to a perfect night." Charlotte muttered as she tried to still her trembling hands as they all hopped off the monkey bars so they'd be standing.

"Want to run for it?" Pony asked as he ground out his cigarette.

"Too late now." Johnny sighed.

"Here they come." Charlotte whispered.

There were five of them sauntering across the stretch of grass that separated them. They had shut off their engine but left the lights on so they were nothing but shadows slinking towards them like predators after their prey. Johnny was shaking as bad as Charlotte was and they both had hands on their blades. When they got close enough all Charlotte could smell was whiskey and English Leather and that alone almost made her retch. They all had tough looks on their faces, hiding the fear from the Socs, not giving them the pleasure of knowing how scared they actually were.

It was Bob and four other Socs and they all recognized the three greasers before them.

"Hey whatta ya know?" Bob said a few of his words slurred, "Here's the greasers who picked up our girls. Hey greasers."

"You're outta ya territory." Johnny said in a warning tone.

"Y'all better watch yourselves." Charlotte added while she began wishing that Darry and Soda would come along looking for them. All five of them could handle the group of Socs but when it was three against five and when the latter were pretty drunk, it got dangerous.

One swore and stepped closer to the greasers while Bob eyed Johnny and one in the way back couldn't take his cold, black eyes off of her, "Nup pal," the one who stepped forward grinned sloppily, "Yer the ones who should watch yourselves. Next time you want a broad look at the one between y'all. I'm sure she's more than willing."

Anger licked at Charlotte but she couldn't get over the unease the one boy was giving her through a hungry stare.

"You know what a greaser is?" Bob asked, "White trash with long hair."

Charlotte gasped as her eyes blazed and she saw Pony's hands turn to fists as he began shaking with anger.

"You know what a Soc is?" Pony bit out angrily, "White trash with mustangs and madras." and then he spit at them. Charlotte saw the dangerous look flash in Bob's eyes before all three greasers turned and started running. Someone grabbed at her jacket but she let it slide off her arms as they did so. Charlotte had gotten to under a tree just past the fountain when strong hands grabbed her and threw her at the ground. Instantly she was kicking and punching, she managed to get a really good scratch over his left eye, she saw blood dripping down his cheek. But the one Soc who had been staring at her was already straddling her to hold her still. She bucked her hips a few times trying to throw him off but then he put all his weight on her and she couldn't move anything but her legs as he pinned her arms above her head.

The boy had a wicked grin as he yanked her shirt down revealing her bra and bare skin to the cold night. Goosebumps exploded over her skin at both the cold and the fear of what this boy was going to do. He palmed one of her breasts and leaned in to sloppily kiss at her neck. Charlotte let out a scream but the Soc let go of her breast and punched her square in the jaw.

He lifted some weight from her hips and new hands came and pinned her hands above her head as switching out and taking turns were promised above her as her jeans were unbuttoned and pulled down her legs. One of them tugged her bra down too as the first boy unzipped his pants and straddled Charlotte again. Just as he went to tug off her panties, the other Socs began screaming.

"He's dead! They killed him!"

Instantly she was released and the boys ran back to their mustang, leaving Charlotte half naked and lying on the cold ground sobbing. Finally Johnny wandered over a sickly pale shade of white, but his cheeks gained color as he helped Charlotte dress herself again and helped walk her to the fountain where Pony was soaked and puking beside the body of Bob.

"He was drowning you." Johnny said weakly, "I had to. He was drowning you and that other one was trying to rape Charlotte."

"What do we do?" Pony asked as he began shakingly like a leaf.

"Dally. He'd know what to do." Charlotte whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself and looked around on the ground before she found her jacket. She picked it up off the ground and tugged it on.

"Where would he be?" Pony asked.

"Buck's, Two-bit said something about Buck throwing a party this morning and Dally never misses one." Charlotte remembered.

The three scared kids began their hike three blocks away from the park but it felt like it took forever to get there. Pony pounded a fist on the door while Charlotte stood back a ways, Buck had some sort of fascination with Charlotte and she hated the way he stared at her.

Finally he opened the door, "Can you get Dally?" Johnny asked. But Buck rolled his eyes and went to close the door.

"Please Buck?" Charlotte spoke up even though she wanted to go unnoticed. Buck paused and stared at the shaking girl, "Please and tell him it's us."

Buck finished closing the door and the three teens just stood there, hoping Dally would come get them. Finally he opened the door and gave them all a small scowl.

"What is it? I was in the bedroom." he growled. That caused Pony's ears to go red, everyone knew what happened there at one of Buck's parties and Dally was shirtless at the moment, "No, not like that Pony, I got in a fight and cracked a few ribs. I tried to sleep the pain off. Glory your ears are red."

"Can we talk to you?" Pony asked as he shivered and it was the that Dally really saw the three of them. Johnny was a pale, pale white, Pony was shivering and Charlotte was pale, her jaw had a nasty bruise and her top was ripped.

"Yeah, c'mon in." he nodded as he stepped back.

"Dally." Charlotte whispered hollowly as she saw the mass of people, "I can't go through them."

"Really? Charlotte, I thought you were getting better." Dally frowned.

After she had gotten jumped the first time she was not only jumpy about men touching her but she couldn't be in crowded places for too long or else she'd begin to panic. Tears welled in her eyes at Dally's comment though, he was right. She had indeed been getting better. Since Johnny got jumped they decided to celebrate Charlotte's birthday three months later and they threw a huge party that about half the East side had attended at the Curtis' house. Charlotte had even let a drunk Buck give her a sloppy kiss on the lips for a birthday gift.

"I can't." she shook her head as tears streamed down her face.

"Okay, here. I've got you. Just focus on that." Dally said as he wrapped an arm around Charlotte and began to tug her through the crowded house as quick as he could. Finally they reached the room that Dally had been in and he closed the door.

"Now what happened?" Dally asked as he sat on the bed.

Johnny began telling the story to Dally and he barely batted an eye, he only did when Johnny said what was happening to Charlotte but then he gave Johnny a cheeky "good for you" when Johnny said he knifed the Soc.

"So what do you need?" Dally asked.

"We need to get outta here. We thought you would be able to help us." Johnny said shakily.

"Wait, Pony. Are you shaking?"

"Y-y-y-yes." Pony managed through his chattering teeth.

"Christ, you'll die of pneumonia 'fore the cops get to you. Take that sweatshirt off. I'll be back with a new one. Charlotte...do you wanna new shirt that ain't ripped honey?" he asked the girl softly. She nodded numbly as Dally slipped from the room and left the kids alone sitting on the bed. Pony dried himself off with a towel that Dally had passed him and sat there shaking and rubbing his arms trying to keep warm. Finally Dally returned and tossed Pony a flannel shirt and Charlotte a black, long sleeve shirt. Pony dragged his shirt on and Charlotte turned away from the boys to take off her ruined top and tug on the new one. Next he handed them a gun and a wad of cash.

"The gun's loaded Johnny! For christ's sake don't point it at me." he snapped as he snatched the gun from Johnny, "Charlotte, can you handle the gun?"

The girl nodded and took it from him and tucked it in the back of her jeans before she pulled on her jacket again, concealing the weapon.

"All ya got is fifty bucks. That's all I could get outta Merrill tonight. Idiot is blowing all his money on the newest race." Dally rolled his eyes, "Pony, do Sodapop and Darry know about any of this?" Dally asked suddenly.

The teens all shook their heads. But they didn't say why.

"This just gets better and better." Dally muttered, "Well I ain't itchin' to tell him. He'll smash my head in." Dally scowled obviously talking about Darry.

"Then don't tell him." Pony offered.

Dally nodded and handed Pony his worn brown leather jacket with the yellow sheep's wool lining, "It's gonna be cold where I'm sending you, but y'all can't get weighed down with blankets."

They all nodded and listened carefully as he told the three teens which train to take and when to get off and where they were to hide out for him. Finally they were on their way out the back door and running silently through the night for the train station. They were nothing but shadows as they slunk onto an empty train car, they sat huddled together with Charlotte in the center. They sat so they were hidden until the train started moving. Then they all moved so they could see out of the train and the moonlight washed over them. Charlotte's thoughts drifted to Darry as the two boys dropped off leaning against her. He was so angry when they had gotten back and it scared Charlotte but her heart hurt because she had hurt and scared him too. Little did she know that Darry was thinking of her too as she slowly watched the city turn into country.

Darry and Soda were walking up and down the streets calling for their kid brother and Charlotte. Darry still felt sick that he was so violent with the two of them, "Darry. I'm sure they know you were only worried." Sodapop tried convincing him.

"I was so mean to Charlotte. She was crying and screaming for me to let her go and all I did was shake her and yell." Darry frowned, "I called her a streetwalker and then I mentioned her getting jumped." Darry was shaking as he sunk to the ground and Soda joined him on the curb.

"I'm sure they went off to one of the boy's houses. They'll turn up in the morning. They can't have gone far."

But Soda was so very wrong as Charlotte's drowsy eyes watched for their stop. Finally she saw it coming up, "Boys. Wake up. We gotta jump." she said as she began shaking the two younger boys till they all stood and jumped from the train. Charlotte stumbled with her heels and ended up rolling but the gun dug into her back reminding her it was there. She stood and looked around to look around her. She had never seen the country before and it was breath taking how clean the air was and how pretty it was. It was open and Pony had explained it how they would never have to worry about gangs here.

"He said to get to the closest road and ask for directions." Pony recalled. So that's what they did they walked until they spotted a farmer and his boy working. Charlotte handed Johnny her jacket and made sure that the gun was concealed as she walked on over to the two workers.

"Hiya, can y'all give us directions to Jay Mountain?"

"Follow that road right there to the big hill. That's it. Taking a walk?"

"Yessir. Me and my brothers are spending the weekend with our aunt and uncle. We're supposed to meet up with our cousins there." Charlotte lied cheerfully, "Y'all have a good day now." Charlotte beamed as she flounced off.

She told the boys what the farmer had said and they began making their way to the old church. Finally it came into view, they slunk around back and slipped through some loose boards before looking at what was around them. It was definitely old and never used anymore, there was rubble around some of the edges and the pews looked rickety so Charlotte chose to lay on the stone ground rather than the narrow, wooden bench. She laid her jacket down and took the gun from her jeans before curling up on top of it and drifting off.

Back at home though Darry and Soda were nowhere near being asleep. Soda decided to run to Buck's in the morning to pick up some cash he won from a rodeo and look for Dally too.

"Oh Buck~" Soda sang out as he walked into the house and began looking in rooms for him. He went into the first room and saw it was empty. He went to turn but stopped when he saw a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off. Slowly Soda walked over to it and picked it up to inspect it. What made him really start shaking in anger was the black top that belonged to Charlotte was on the ground beside it. Soda knew that these were Pony's and Charlotte's.

"Buck!" Soda roared and he went storming through the house now.

"What?" the blonde asked as he came out of one room but he didn't have a chance to recognize it was Soad before he was being thrown against the wall, "Christ almighty!" he spat out.

"Why the hell do you have my kid brother's shirt and Charlotte's top?" Soda barked.

"They were here last night, asking for Dally. I got him, he lead them through the house hid 'em away in a room and then walked them to the back door."

"What else?"

"Dally asked for money and a gun before he lead them away talking about a train."

Soda dropped Buck and collected his money before jogging all the way home where Darry was making calls to anyone the three kids could have stayed with. But he hung up the phone on Curly Shepard when Soda came barreling through the house out of breath and slamming a handful of clothes on their kitchen table.

"What is it Soda?" Darry asked. Soda who was still gasping for breath tapped the clothes so Darry lifted them. When he recognized them his eyes flashed dangerously, "Where did you get these?"

"Buck's." Soda panted but caught his brother when he tried to storm through the house, "No, Dally. Dally sent them away."

"I'm going to kill him." Darry snapped as he began to storm out of the house but before he even got out the front door, Dally was already on the front porch. Before Dally could utter a greeting he was being thrown against the wall if their house.

"Where the hell have you sent Charlotte, Pony and Johnny?"

"Darry. You need to calm down." Dally bit back but Darry slammed him against the wall again but then he heard sirens. He released Dally just in time for the fuzz to drive up to his house.

"Dallas Winston?" a cop called out as he walked up to the porch.

"Yessir." Dallas replied cooly.

"We need to ask you some questions about a murder investigation." he replied as they shoved Dally into the backseat.

"What the hell is going on?" Soda asked aloud as the missing teens slept soundly in the abandoned church.

Charlotte dreamt of Sunday mornings at the Curtis house. When they all would play football at the lot. Charlotte liked to be on the opposite team of Darry. Because he would wrap his strong arms around her and pick her up or she would be able to grab at him and it'd be okay. This time Johnny and Pony begged Darry to be on their team since they were the smallest besides Charlotte. Two-bit joined their team too because he liked to try and beat his sister. Steve, Soda and Dally were on Charlotte's team and since they didn't have the football star, they got the ball first. Steve snapped it to Dally who threw it to Charlotte. She began running for what they deemed the end zone but before she got close large, strong arms looped around her middle and picked her up as if she were the football herself.

"Soda!" she yelled as she threw it sloppily to him causing him to drop it. Pony darted in and snatched it up and bean running but Steve was already behind him ready to tackle him. Darry placed Charlotte on her feet and ran after the ball. But Charlotte saw Dally running for Pony so Charlotte backed up a few steps just as Dally grabbed it from Pony. He called out her name and threw it as hard as he could. Charlotte had her eyes locked on the ball as she ran to catch it so she didn't see Darry and Darry didn't see her so they crashed into one another and fell to the ground. Charlotte underneath Darry, laughing even though her ribs ached.

Charlotte woke up then and it all hit her what had happened last night and it made her chest tighten. She stood stiffly and walked out to the water pump and began rinsing her face off to wake up better. When she was finished she looked up to see Johnny making his way up the hill with an armful of a box. She waited outside for him and they walked in together where Pony was just waking up.

Charlotte decided to poke through the box. It had bread, candy bars, baloney-Charlotte didn't care too much for baloney, a brush, a couple pack of cigarettes and, "Bleach and hair dye?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.

"We need to change how we look. Just incase. That means cutting our hair and changing the color." Johnny explained.

"No one is cutting my hair." Charlotte bit out angrily. They both went to speak but she cut them off, "I promise I will look different when we dye my hair...black. Of course." she sighed as they got to work cutting or dyeing their hair.

"You weren't kidding." Johnny said wide eyed after Charlotte rinsed the extra dye from her hair, "You look a lot paler and your eyes are bigger and greener looking."

Charlotte laughed lightly as Pony sat beside her sourly with his now blonde and shorter hair.

"Okay Johnny, your turn." Charlotte said as she dragged him out into the sun and began sawing away his hair. He washed out the grease in his hair and they all sat in the sun to stay warm as it dried. But then Pony started pouting about his hair as they moved into the church since it was getting dark.

"I killed a boy Pony." Johnny suddenly snapped, "He was no older than Charlotte and now he's dead." Johnny began crying so Charlotte hugged his arm and laid her head on his shoulder but she glanced back at Pony and saw he was beginning to tear up too. She reached back and placed her hand on his knee and offered him a sad smile.

"I'm sorry Johnny. I'm just upset is all." Pony apologized a minute later.

"Golly. There sure is a lot of blood in people." Johnny murmured.

But they were still crying as it hit Charlotte that they really ran away and she began to tear up herself and soon enough they were all crying. Eventually they all dropped off and fell asleep. Charlotte woke up later that night and saw the boys were awake again.

"We ain't gonna cry no more, are we?" Charlotte asked as she scrubbed at her face.

"Nah we're all cried out." Johnny nodded.

"Good. I hate crying." Pony murmured.


	4. Chapter 4

Within the next five days Pony read a lot of Gone with the Wind from the copy that Johnny picked up. The boys owed Charlotte a grand total of seven hundred and sixty dollars and twelve cents from playing poker. They usually sat in the back of the church since in the front you could be seen from the road but Charlotte liked looking out over the valley and seeing how far it could go without having any sign of people. Usually they all had to sleep huddled together since as Dally said it did get cold but one morning Charlotte felt Pony sneak off earlier than usual. She sleepily sat up and rubbed at her eye before she too stood and grabbed a cigarette from the pack they kept on the table at all times. She followed him while striking the match and took a drag on the cigarette. She stood behind him and watched as the colors of the sky went a gorgeous gold and faded to a pale blue with a mist lingering in the air.

"Golly that was pretty." Johnny said behind the two causing Charlotte to jump and let out a small gasp which caused Pony to jump and turn to the two greasers who were standing behind him.

"Did I wake y'all?" Pony asked.

"Well you woke me." Charlotte shrugged, "And I'm assuming that I woke Johnny."

"The mist was what was pretty," Johnny nodded, "With all the silver and gold."

Pony hummed in agreement as he tried blowing a smoke ring again.

"I wish it coulda stayed like that." Johnny said after a bit.

"Nothing gold can stay." Pony muttered.

"What?" Charlotte asked.

"Nature's first green is gold,  
Her hardest hue to hold.  
Her early leaf's a flower;  
But only so an hour.  
Then leaf subsides to leaf.  
So Eden sank to grief,  
So dawn goes down to day.  
Nothing gold can stay." Pony said aloud.

"Where'd ya learn it. That's what I meant." Charlotte said around a cloud of of smoke.

"Robert Frost wrote it. He meant more to it that I'm getting outta it though. I always remembered it but I never got what he meant outta it." Pony explained.

"I never noticed the clouds and colors before. Not before you kept reminding me of them Pony. It seems like they were never there before." Johnny sighed. Charlotte nodded silently in agreement. She'd never noticed any of this stuff before she met Pony, "Your family sure is funny Pony." Johnny said after a minute.

"And what happens to be funny about it?" Pony asked roughly.

"I don't mean nothing by it. Just that Soda looks like your mom but he acts just like your dad and Darry is the spittin' image of your dad but he ain't wild like he was. He's more stern like your mom. And you don't act like either one." Johnny explained. At the mention of Darry it had Charlotte's heart wincing in pain. She never knew she'd miss him as much as she was missing him right now.

By the third day Charlotte couldn't even look at baloney without gagging and risking being sick, they had run outta candy bars on the second day and all Charlotte wanted was a coke and to see Darry again. Johnny promised her the coke but she hadn't mentioned missing Darry because last time she did the boys told Charlotte how she should tell him she loves him when she next gets the chance and that made Charlotte's heart hurt all over again. Charlotte had been living off of bread for about three days now and smoking more than she ever has. Both Johnny and Pony warned her she'd be sick in a few days if she smoked on an empty stomach but she sped up the process by smoking a pack and a half in one day.

She was laying on her jacket again while her boys sat on the back step read Gone with the Wind quietly since Charlotte had gotten a mean streak and threatened to kill them out here where no one would ever find them if they woke her. She was dreaming of being back home with Darry and the rest of the boys and piles of coke bottles and no more baloney when she heard a sharp whistle. Charlotte shifted in her sleep and tried to keep still to keep her stomach from lurching around.

"Glory, what'd y'all do to her? Kill her?" a rough voice asked before nudging Charlotte in the ribs.

That was what made her shoot to a sitting position and attempt stabbing Dally in his leg with her bade. Dally swore and jumped out of her way while she dropped her knife and suddenly ran outside where she began gagging before she threw up stomach acid.

"Shit honey, what'd they do to you?" Dally asked as he held her inky, black locks from her face as a few tears rolled down her face.

"I smoked a pack and a half without eating." she mumbled as she leaned against the church door frame. Suddenly it occurred to Charlotte just who she tried stabbing and who was holding her hair back after the fact now, "Dally!" she chirped as she twisted to hug him.

"Hiya doll face." he grinned as he hugged her back.

"Wait, how's Two-bit? Darry? Christ, they must be so worried! Did you tell them where we are?" Charlotte began to ramble then she stopped to take a deep breath, "Is Darry still mad at me?" she asked softly after the fact.

"He was never mad at you Charlotte. You shoulda seen him once he realized that y'all were missing." Dally explained as he lead her back into the church, "He knew I musta had something to do with y'all disappearing like you did and he got to me before the fuzz could. Threw me against a wall and lifted me a good three feet off the ground and threatened to kill me if I didn't say where I sent y'all but the cops came knocking before he could go through with the promise." Dally answered, "Gotta cancer stick Johnnycake?" Dally asked.

Johnny tossed Dally the pack that Charlotte hadn't gotten to and he swore over the fact they weren't kool's.

"Here. Pony, Charlotte. I got some letters for y'all." Dally said as he handed each of them a folded piece of paper.

"Who they from?" Charlotte asked as she shoved her hair from her face.

"The president." Dally replied cooly

"Smart ass." Charlotte scowled.

"Soda and Darry."

At the mention of Darry's name Charlotte was fumbling to get her's unfolded.

Charlotte,

I can't stand the way I treated you that night. I knew you meant nothing by it. I was just worried sick that you and Pony were out so late and sleeping with your guard down at that. I know you must be in a lotta trouble if you can't talk to me or Two-bit about it. I've been thinking about you an awful lot lately too. I took time off of work after y'all went missing and it gave me time to think about why I can't get you outta my head. It's because I love you Charlotte. I've known since the day we found you getting jumped. I didn't know why I felt so sick when we found you and then a few months later at your birthday party when you let Buck kiss you I didn't understand why I was so jealous. It's because I love you and want to be with you. I hope you'll come home soon. To the gang-your family. To me.

Love, Darry

Tears were rolling down Charlotte's cheeks as she read Darry's letter and when she finished reading she saw that the boys were looking at her. She laughed sadly and wiped her tears away.

"What did Darry say?" Johnny asked.

"He said he loves me." Charlotte said thickly as she continued wiping her eyes. She laughed when she saw all of them smiling, "I'm gonna tell him. Next chance I get too." Charlotte promised as she tucked the letter in her jeans pocket.

"How about I get y'all outta here and get some real food. I haven't eaten all day. I'm about starved." Dally offered as he ground out his cigarette butt. They all nodded excitedly and piled into Buck's T Bird that Dally insisted Buck let him borrow. Charlotte missed being in a car, she used to love the thrill of driving fast but when Dally took a corner that sent their car on two wheels she felt a bit sick again. The nausea faded though when they stopped at Dairy Queen and she scarfed down two pork sandwiches in what felt like thirty seconds and began eating her ice cream sundae quickly.

"Slow down will ya? I got plenty of money. Jeez, I thought I was hungry...Charlotte where are you putting all that food? Your cheeks?" Dally asked as she asked for more money to go buy some more food. She bought another two sandwiches and was able to scarf down the first but by the time she reached her fourth her stomach began to fill up but she finished it anyway. Then she was given another sundae so she ate that at a normal human's pace while Dally explained that the cops dragged him in figuring that he had something to do with it.

"But then Bob's friend Rocky? Something with an R. Came forward and identified each of y'all. Got your pictures in the paper. Really good ones too. Then that girl from the drive-in, Cherry has been helping us, she's been almost like a spy for us."

"Cherry?" Pony asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

"Yeah she's been helping us out." Dally nodded.

It was quiet for a beat and the Johnny spoke up, "We're goin' back and turn ourselves in."

Pony choked on his sundae, Dally let out a string of curses and Charlotte spit out a mouthful of her beloved coke, "What?" Dally demanded angrily.

"I said we're goin' back and turn ourselves in," Johnny repeated in a quiet voice. Then he saw all of their faces, a mixture between shock and pure anger, "I got a good chance of bein' let off easy," Johnny said but it sounded more like he was convincing himself rather than Dally, "I ain't got no record with the fuzz and it was self-defense. Ponyboy and Charlotte can testify to that. And I don't aim to stay in that church all my life."

That was quite a speech for Johnny, the boy who never talked. His big black eyes grew big as dinner plates at the thought of going to the police station though, Johnny was terrified of cops, "We won't tell that you helped us, Dally, and we'll give you back the gun and what's left of the money and say we hitchhiked back so you won't get into trouble. Okay?"

Dally was gnawing on his fake I.D. that allowed him to buy alcohol, "Are you sure you wanna go back? Us greasers get it worse than anyone."

"I'm sure. It ain't fair for Ponyboy and Charlotte to have to stay up in that church with Darry and Soda worryin' about him all the time and Darry being away from Charlotte. I don't guess..." he swallowed and tried not to look eager, "I don't guess my parents are worried about me or anything?"

"The boy's are all worried about you." Dally said sharply, "Two-bit ran off to Texas to find y'all cause I told him you did."

"Dumb ass." Charlotte muttered thickly as tears surfaced at the thought of her brother running off to Texas just to find her.

"My parents," Johnny repeated stubbornly, "Did they ask about me?"

"No," snapped Dally, "They didn't. Blast it, Johnny, what do they matter? Shoot, my old man don't give a hang whether I'm in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter. That don't bother me none."

But Johnny looked so hurt Charlotte's heart shattered at the thought of the boy who only wanted his parents to love him. Charlotte barely thought of her mom since she walked out on her and Two-bit a year or two ago when she struck it rich through marrying some old guy. Dally swore and ripped out of the Dairy Queen and began speeding back to the church with a look to kill on his face.

"Blast it, Johnny," Dally growled as we flew along the red road, "Why didn't you think of turning yourself in five days ago? It would have saved a lot of trouble."

"I was scared," Johnny spoke softly, "I still am." he ran his finger down one of his short black sideburns. "I guess we ruined our hair for nothing."

"I guess so." Pony sighed. Charlotte ran a hand through her inky locks and for once sort of missed her strawberry blonde hair but she'd rather be bald than stay in that church any longer.

Dally was scowling, and from long and painful experience Charlotte knew better than to talk to him when his eyes were blazing like that. She'd likely get clobbered over the

head. That had happened before, just as it had happened to all the gang at one time or another. It only happened once for Charlotte since Two-bit went flying at Dally once he hit his kid sister. The gang rarely fought among themselves. Darry was the unofficial leader, since he

kept his head best, Soda and Steve had been best friends since grade school and never fought and Two-Bit was just too lazy to argue with anyone so long as his sister wasn't involved. Johnny kept his mouth shut too much to get into arguments, and nobody ever fought with Johnny. Pony kept his mouth shut too. Charlotte could get away with most things being the only girl but she preferred to stay outta fights. But Dally was a different matter. If something made him mad, he didn't keep quiet about it, and if you rubbed him the wrong way, you'd better look out. Not even Darry wanted to tangle with him even though Darry could take him. Dally was dangerous.

Johnny just sat there and stared at his feet. He hated for any one of the gang to be mad at him. He looked awful sad. Dally glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Pony looked out the window and Charlotte played with her messy hair.

"Johnny," Dally said in a pleading voice, using a tone no one had never heard from him before, "Johnny, I ain't mad at you. I just don't want you to get hurt. You don't know what a few months in jail can do to you. Oh, blast it, Johnny. You get hardened in jail. I don't want that to happen to you. Like it happened to me..."

"Would you rather have me staying in hide outs for the rest of my life? Away from everyone back home?" Johnny asked but he never got a response because simultaneously the three other greasers let out their own individual string of curses. They had just gotten to the top of Jay Mountain and there was a billowing black cloud in the air coming straight from the church. It was on fire and it was most likely their fault.


	5. Chapter 5

"Let's check it out." Charlotte muttered as she hopped from the car.

"What for?" Dally sounded irritated. "Get back in here before I beat your head in."

Charlotte knew that in order for Dally to carry out his threat he would have to park the car and then chase after her but she had the two boys behind her so she figured that she was safe for now. They all heard him throwing cusses their way but he wasn't mad enough to follow them. There was a crowd at the front of the church, mostly little kids, and Charlotte wondered how they'd gotten there so quickly. She tapped the nearest grownup, "Excuse me, what's going on?"

"Well, we don't know for sure," the man said with an easy grin, "We were having a school picnic up here and the next thing we knew, the place is burning up. Thank goodness this is a wet season and the old thing is worthless anyway." then, to the kids, he shouted, "Stand back, children. The firemen will be coming soon."

"I bet we started it," Pony said to Johnny. "We must have dropped a lighted cigarette or something." which lead to them glancing at Charlotte.

"Woah. Okay, I may have been Smokey the bear for the past twenty four hours but Dally was the last to smoke." she bit out at them.

After that a lady came running up, "Jerry, some of the kids are missing."

"They're probably around here somewhere. You can't tell with all this excitement where they might be."

"No." she shook her head quickly, "They've been missing for at least a half an hour. I thought they were climbing the hill..."

Then they all froze. Just barely, you could hear someone yelling. And it sounded like it was coming from inside the church.

The woman went white and Charlotte worried about her passing out, "I told them not to play in the church... I told them..." she looked like she was going to start screaming, so Jerry shook her.

"We'll get them, don't worry!" Charlotte yelled as Pony started at a dead run for the church and the man caught Charlotte's arm, "I'll get them. You kids stay out!" he tried yelling at them.

But he dropped her arm when she sent the hand on her a dead stare, then she followed after her boys taking off her jacket and tossing it on the ground as she went. They stopped at the flaming window and the barricaded door, she stepped forward and sent her heeled boot through the door, causing it to go crashing down. They ran in and Pony started choking after a deep breath.

"Where are you?" Charlotte called out after she let out a few coughs. She followed the sound of terrified screams and found about seven kids huddled close together in a back room as the flames licked at them. Johnny picked up a rock and threw it through a window right by the kids and Charlotte grabbed one and tossed her through after most of the glass was cleared. She saw one kid bite Pony. Charlotte caught the look on Johnny's face and he looked like he was having the time of his life, it was the first time in a while that she could remember not seeing a kicked puppy when she looked at him. She grabbed the next boy and tossed him out the window and caught sight of Dally.

"For Pete's sake, get outa there! That roofs gonna cave in any minute. Forget those blasted kids!"

But Charlotte ignored him as she twisted to grab the final girl and tossed her out but as she set her down Dally grabbed her arm and dragged her out onto her face. Charlotte let out a few coughs before crawling further from the church. She stayed on her hands and knees because she didn't think she could do much else. Sh glanced back to see Pony come stumbling out with his back on fire but Dally gave him a sharp slap that put it right out along with Ponyboy. Then Charlotte heard Johnny scream and Dally dove into the church for him. Once he disappeared though she heard their gun explode so she hit the deck and covered her head with her hands and prayed to make it back home so she could tell Darry she loved him too.

She saw fire trucks coming towards them but she didn't hear the sirens or the screaming of the kids because she saw Dally dragging Johnny from the church and he looked dead. She stumbled to her feet as one scream pierced through the rest and it took Dally shaking her to realize it was her own scream.

"He ain't dead! He ain't dead Charlotte but something's broken." he said before wrapping his arms around her and crushing her in a hug. They had to wait until four ambulances came since for some reason they each needed their own even though Charlotte tried convincing one doctor she could share with someone.

The man, Jerry climbed into an ambulance with Pony and two men she hadn't seen before rode with either Johnny or Dally. She pitied the man who chose Dally and Charlotte had the woman in the ambulance with her.

"Where are you taking us?"

She told Charlotte they were being taken to the hospital closest to their home and tears began to well in Charlotte's eyes.

"Is there anyone I can call for you?"

"No my brother ran off to Texas to find me. But the boy, the one with blonde hair. His oldest brother. I'm sure they've already been called that we're on our way?"

The woman turned to the doctor that was driving and asked.

"Yes they've been notified and the first ambulance carrying a Ponyboy Curtis arrived not even five minutes ago. We were last to leave but we're about ten minutes away." he called back. After what seemed like forever the driver spoke up again, "The two Curtis brothers just arrived for their brother and want to claim you also."

Charlotte's heart leapt with excitement at the thought of seeing her Darry again. They arrived at the hospital not too long afterwards and Charlotte ran inside and looked around until she spotted the six foot two, dark haired beauty. Her eyes welled up as she ran for him and jumped straight into his arms. She let out a sob into his neck as he held her tight.

"I got your letter." she sobbed and pulled back to look into his ice blue eyes, "I love you too." she laughed as she kissed him.

Darry's heart stuttered when he saw Charlotte run into the hospital. They had dyed her hair a harsh black but she was still beautiful. She looked around for a second before their eyes locked and she was running at him. He lifted her in the air and hugged her tight as he felt tears running down his neck and landing on his t-shirt. His heart soared though when she pulled back and said she loved him too. He pulled away from the kiss and Charlotte's chest hurt when she saw tears running down his cheeks. Since he had a good grip on her, she was able to let go of his and wipe the tears away.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did and said that night." his voice broke.

"It's fine. I forgive you sweetie. I forgive you. You were scared and angry." Charlotte cooed softly as she cupped his face with her hands. She saw him glance over her shoulder before his look hardened. She turned and saw that he was staring at two cops. They walked over and that's when Charlotte realized she was still up in Darry's arms with her legs wrapped around him. He set her gently on her feet before they sat on the chairs by Pony and Soda who were grinning still at the thought of Darry and Charlotte kissing in the middle of the hospital. They were asked the basic questions and as Charlotte dreaded she was asked where she was when Bob was drowning Pony.

"I was under the large oak just off the side of the fountain...I had a boy on top of me and another holding my hands down." Charlotte spoke softly as tears welled in her eyes. She felt Darry stiffen beside her and when she glanced his way saw how stiff he was. She placed her hand over his and he relaxed some.

"Could you identify these boys?"

Charlotte shook her head, "They didn't rape me. Although I'm sure if Johnny hadn't stabbed Bob there was no doubt they would have. They had gotten my top pulled down so my chest was exposed and they touched me. They were promising they would switch out at one point as they started to pull my jeans down. The one on top of me got as far as unzipping his pants and going to remove my underwear when Johnny got to Bob." Charlotte said with tears running down her face. Darry wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple as they were asked a few more questions and then with their luck a reporter showed up asking about saving the kids, the murder and what Pony and herself wanted next.

"A bath." Pony confessed causing everyone to laugh even though his brothers could see he wasn't joking. But when they turned to Charlotte she was fast asleep against Darry's chest.

"I'll write down she wanted sleep." the reporter nodded before running off. Darry made sure that Pony and Charlotte were cleared to leave before he picked Charlotte up and carried her to their truck.

"Golly, did you feed the girl?" Darry asked when he realized she weighed less than she did before she left.

"We tried but she refused to eat the baloney Johnny bought." Pony yawned.

Darry shook his head and climbed into the truck after Pony with Charlotte still sleeping in his lap. Soda offered to drive and Pony dropped out halfway home and snoozed on Soda's shoulder. Finally they reached their house and the two older brothers climbed out, each carrying a sleeping greaser.

"Pony weighs a lot less now too." Soda muttered as he carried him in with ease. They parted ways at their rooms and Darry had intended on leaving Charlotte in his room and sleeping on the couch but when he placed her on the bed and went to back off, a hand suddenly grasped his arm.

"No, please stay with me." Charlotte muttered groggily as she sat up and tried taking her boots off. Charlotte watched him sadly as he walked to the door and pause. He closed the door though and walked back to the bed to help Charlotte remove her boots. He tugged them off for her and she began unbuttoning her pants. Darry blushed and turned and began tugging his own jeans off to change but then he heard her breathing even out. He turned slightly and saw that she had gotten her jeans halfways down her pale, smooth legs before she fell asleep again. Darry smiled despite himself and finished removing her pants before tugging off her top too. He went to his dresser and pulled out a shirt that would be way too big on her but it was fine for her to sleep in.

"Charlotte, c'mon. You gotta sit up so you can put on this shirt." Darry spoke softly. But Charlotte only whined and dragged him so he was laying on top of her. She gave him a soft, sleepy kiss before peeling her eyes open, "I'm fine like this." she muttered before giving him another sleepy kiss, but this one had more heat in it as Darry gripped her bare sides and allowed himself to put a little more weight on her so they were closer. Charlotte let out a shuddering breath as Darry trailed kisses along her neck. She broke contact with him just so she could tug his shirt off and admire up close the finely sculpted muscles of Darry's chest. She raked her sharp nails down his chest and around to drag them up his back as he continued kissing all over her neck and down to her chest. Darry let out a low groan as he pressed his forehead to her chest.

She smiled and ran her fingers through the thick, long locks, "Charlotte." Darry sighed.

"I know, how about we get some sleep now?" the drowsy girl mumbled as she continued running her fingers through his hair. He lazily pulled the blanket over the both of them as he hugged her midsection and she continued the slow rubbing of his hair. They both dropped off at the same time, wrapped in one another's arms.


End file.
